Sydney Horror as Hanukkah Gathering Hit by Terror Attack, 11 Dead

At least 11 people have been killed in a gun attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that targeted Australia’s Jewish community, with authorities formally declaring the incident a terrorist attack, according to police.

The New South Wales Police Commissioner, Mal Lanyon, said on Sunday that 29 injured people, including two police officers, were taken to hospital after gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah gathering attended by more than 1,000 people. One suspected shooter was killed during the incident, while a second remains in critical condition.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the shooting as a “devastating and targeted attack on Jewish Australians” on the first day of Hanukkah, a celebration he said should have been marked by joy and faith. He vowed that hate, violence and terrorism would not be tolerated in Australia.

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Police also confirmed the discovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) inside a vehicle linked to the deceased suspect. Commissioner Lanyon said investigators were probing the possible involvement of a third attacker and that special counterterrorism powers had been authorised to prevent further violence.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as gunfire erupted near the Bondi Pavilion, with dramatic footage showing a bystander tackling one suspect and disarming him, while another gunman was seen firing from a nearby bridge. Witnesses reported hearing sustained gunshots lasting several minutes.

The attack occurred during the “Chanukah by the Sea” event, prompting widespread condemnation from local and international leaders. Israeli President Isaac Herzog denounced the shooting as a cruel terrorist attack on Jews, while Australian political leaders, Islamic organisations and community groups expressed solidarity with the victims and called for unity against anti-Semitism and extremism.

Investigations into the Bondi Beach terror attack, its motives and potential accomplices are ongoing.

Sydney Horror as Hanukkah Gathering Hit by Terror Attack, 11 Dead
— Al Jazeera

Cold, Floods Kill 16 in Gaza as Winter Storm Batters Displaced Families

At least 16 people have died in Gaza over the past 24 hours, including three children who succumbed to extreme cold, as a powerful winter storm unleashed heavy rain and strong winds across the Gaza Strip, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Gaza’s civil defense agency said the fatalities were linked to exposure to cold, collapsing buildings and flooded shelters, as Storm Byron battered the territory from late Wednesday. The storm flooded tents and makeshift shelters, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are taking refuge after more than two years of war.

The agency confirmed that three children died from exposure to cold — two in Gaza City and one in Khan Yunis. Al-Shifa Hospital identified the victims as nine-year-old Hadeel Al-Masri and infant Taim Al-Khawaja, while Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis reported the death of eight-month-old Rahaf Abu Jazar in the Al-Mawasi displacement camp.

Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal said six people were killed when a house collapsed in the Bir Al-Naja area of northern Gaza, while two bodies were recovered from rubble in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood of Gaza City. He added that five others died in separate incidents caused by collapsing walls.

According to the agency, emergency teams responded to distress calls from 13 houses that collapsed due to heavy rain and strong winds, mostly in Gaza City and northern Gaza.

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Across central areas such as Nuseirat and Deir el-Balah, families struggled to bail water from their tents as children waded barefoot through muddy floodwaters. Many residents reported sleeping in soaked bedding, with no dry clothes or adequate blankets to protect them from the cold.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that night-time temperatures could fall to 8–9°C, exposing children to severe health risks. UNICEF spokesman Jonathan Crickx described the situation as “extremely dangerous”, citing poor sanitation, flooded camps and open sewage, which could trigger waterborne diseases and respiratory infections.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also warned that thousands of families are sheltering in low-lying and debris-filled areas without drainage, cautioning that winter conditions and inadequate sanitation could fuel a surge in acute respiratory illnesses.

Although a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has eased some restrictions on aid deliveries since October, the United Nations says humanitarian supplies remain insufficient, leaving Gaza’s displaced population highly vulnerable as winter conditions intensify.

Cold, Floods Kill 16 in Gaza as Winter Storm Batters Displaced Families

ARAB NEWS

US Forces Seize Iran-Bound Arms Cargo at Sea as Tehran Intercepts Oil Tanker in Gulf of Oman

A United States special operations team has intercepted a ship in the Indian Ocean carrying military-related components bound for Iran, underscoring rising tensions over maritime security and sanctions enforcement.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, the operation took place last month when American forces boarded the vessel several hundred miles off the coast of Sri Lanka. The ship, which was travelling from China to Iran, was found to be carrying components that could be used for Iran’s conventional weapons programme. US officials said the seized materials were later destroyed, while the vessel was allowed to continue its journey.

The development comes as Iranian authorities announced the seizure of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, intensifying a pattern of maritime interceptions in the region. Iranian media reported that the tanker was carrying about six million litres of contraband diesel fuel and had 18 crew members from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on board.

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The Fars News Agency, quoting an official from Hormozgan Province, said the tanker had disabled its navigation systems and was intercepted off the Sea of Oman. Iranian forces frequently announce the interception of vessels accused of fuel smuggling, a practice driven by Iran’s heavily subsidised fuel prices, which make illegal exports lucrative.

Iran denied claims that the latest seizure was retaliatory, noting that a similar tanker had been detained last month for carrying unauthorised cargo. The incident followed closely on the heels of a US seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, which Washington said was transporting oil linked to Venezuela and Iran.

The US Treasury has maintained sanctions on Venezuela since 2022, citing alleged ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah, as both countries remain under intense international scrutiny over sanctions evasion and regional security concerns.

US Forces Seize Iran-Bound Arms Cargo at Sea as Tehran Intercepts Oil Tanker in Gulf of Oman

ARAB NEWS